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DC Hill Update 2/22: Senate returns after snow days and recess

22

Feb

DC Hill Update 2/22: Senate returns after snow days and recess

By Alex Bea

Members of Congress were on recess last week. 1Sky organizers all over the country showed up at in-state events to ask members of Congress to support strong climate legislation and defend the Clean Air Act. In the meantime, the Obama administration announced funding for new nuclear reactors, attacks on the Clean Air Act continue, and health care reform got some new momentum with several senators pushing to pass a public option through a process that requires only 51 votes. This week, the Senate is also poised to vote on a jobs bill.

1. Climate Bill Update

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is working on a new energy bill, a draft of which was revealed last week. This new bill is a more comprehensive, but weaker version of the "ACELA" bill passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee last year. Graham's bill includes a weak "Clean Energy Standard" (CES) that defines nuclear power and carbon-capture-and-storage (CCS) coal power as "clean." Like the other Senate energy bill, analysis suggests that it will not result in renewable energy deployment beyond business as usual. It remains unclear whether or not Graham's bill will be incorporated into the comprehensive climate and energy bill that he is working on with Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT).

Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) announced last week that he will not run for re-election this year. Bayh, a key swing vote on climate, might be more likely to support comprehensive climate and energy legislation now that he's not running for re-election, but it's unlikely his seat will go to a more climate-friendly senator in the 2010 election.

Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), a climate champion on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) committee, was diagnosed last week with stomach cancer. He will undergo chemotherapy treatments for the next several months, and is expected to recover completely.

Reid's bill does not contain any climate-related measures beyond an extension of the Highway Trust Fund, which includes some funding for public transit. Important clean energy initiatives like the "Home Star" energy efficiency program are expected in subsequent jobs bills.

3. Murkowski "Dirty Air Act" Resolution Coming Up in March

While some 1Sky organizers got reassurance in their advocacy over the recess that their senators will not support efforts to gut the Clean Air Act, Senator Lisa Murkowski's (R-AK) still plans to move forward with her disapproval resolution next month. Please help us stop the Dirty Air Act! Visit USCAN’s Dirty Air Act campaign page for resources developed by many organizations nationally as part of this campaign.

6. Health Care Gains New Momentum

Last week, Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) led a group of 20 senators in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) calling for passage of the "public option" via budget reconciliation, which only requires 51 votes to pass.

It is not clear how this renewed momentum for health care reform will affect the comprehensive climate and energy bill.

7. International Update

Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) announced last week that he will step down in July 2010 after four years of planning and overseeing international climate negotiations, which culminated in the underwhelming Copenhagen Accord this past December. 102 countries support the Copenhagen Accord, with most of them formally "associating" with it. You can find more details and track progress here.

8. President Obama Speaks out on Climate Science

President Obama explains climate science at a town hall in Nevada (link):